Bound by Legend: A Bound Novel

by A. D. Trosper

  Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them back. “I snatched it just before the social workers got hold of both my arms. It was all I had of them. Other than a few personal things from our rooms, nothing else came with my sister and me. They didn’t own their house and the cars both had loans on them still. I think pretty much everything else went to paying for their funerals.

  “The locket is the only thing I managed to save along with the clothes on my back when I left my last foster home.”

  Lucian watched her quietly for a moment, noting the way she hid her need to regain control behind smoking. “What happened to the rest of your stuff?”

  She shrugged, still not looking at him. “It was destroyed the night I ran away. It’s not like I had much personal stuff anyway. Not like it’s a big deal.”

  Her words didn’t match her body language or the expression she was carefully trying to hide from him. It was painfully obvious to Lucian that it was a big deal and the loss of her things was one of the many scars she carried inside. “So your mother just found it on the ground?”

  “That’s what she said. It had flooded that spring, I guess it was left there by the water.” Morgan turned to look at him finally. “She would never let me touch it.”

  Lucian’s brow furrowed. “Did she say why?”

  “Nope.” Morgan took another drag. “I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to her about it. Not long after that, demon activity went crazy and I forgot about the locket. Less than a month later, both of my parents were dead.”

  “Damn.” Lucian stood abruptly and began pacing.

  Startled, Morgan watched his progress back and forth. “What?”

  “I don’t think it’s coincidence your mother found the locket then immediately afterward the demon activity picked up to such high levels. I think the two are connected.” He ran a hand through his golden hair. “In fact, I’m starting to think it’s all connected. The locket, the demon activity, the Kalona hunting you, and even your parents’ deaths.”

  Morgan sat forward and ground out her cigarette. “Riverdale Road.”

  “What?” Lucian turned to look at her with a frown.

  “My mother found it on Riverdale Road. The night my parents died, they were going back to Riverdale Road. I remember because their argument woke me.” Morgan was still looking in Lucian’s direction though she didn’t see him. She looked through him into the past. “My father didn’t want my mother to go. When she remained determined, he insisted that he go with them. Rhamil didn’t try to argue against my father going. My father wasn’t without skills, even if he was only human, and he often accompanied them.”

  Morgan rubbed the spot over her heart. “I remember my mother saying, ‘He’s going to come for her. He will never let her go.’ And then something about ending it.”

  Lucian sat on the edge of the chair he’d left only moments before and leaned toward her. “Never let who go?”

  She met his steady gaze. “Me.”

  LUCIAN LOOKED BOTH surprised and worried at her words. “Why do you think they were talking about you?”

  “Because of the things the demons have said to me. They’ve told me the Kalona wants me. They tried to offer me things they thought I wanted most in exchange for standing willingly by the Kalona’s side.” Morgan chewed on her thumbnail as her mind worked to figure it all out.

  Lucian’s face held a look of confused concentration. “Why you specifically?”

  “I don’t know,” she mumbled around her thumbnail.

  “Damien and Isobel have been here for several months maybe they know something about Riverdale Road and what connection it has to the locket and the demons in the area.” Lucian stood. “I think I’ll drop by for visit, do you want to come?”

  “No, I still feel a little weird and tired. I’ll just stay here and rest.” Forgotten during the conversation, the electric tension between them reminded her now it was best if she kept her distance.

  He hesitated, casting her a worried look. “You’ll be okay here alone?”

  “Isobel and Damien only live a block away and I’m used to being alone.” She’d been alone long enough she wasn’t sure if she even knew how to be any other way.

  “I won’t be long.”

  Morgan watched him stride into the house and rather wished he would take his time. His near-constant presence along with the walls of his house threatened to suffocate her. It was stupid really. She should be thankful to have a place to sleep. Someplace warm, comfortable, and safe. And thankful to have someone dedicated to protecting her.

  Instead, as she watched Lucy lying in the sun on the grass, all she could think of was how quickly she could lose it all. How the house confined her to one place when she was used to spending most of her time on the move. How, unless the weather forced her hand, she never slept in the same place two nights in a row while on the streets. And how her protector was the same person that set her body on fire and made her yearn for more. Far more. It wasn’t just physical.

  Lucian had been kind and caring even when she’d been rude and dismissive. He’d thought about Lucy. The dog was important to her and so she’d become important to Lucian. He cared about how she felt and she knew he made an earnest effort to keep her from feeling trapped here.

  It was so different than it had been with Arabrim. Her first dark angel had done what was necessary. And where he couldn’t ever force her to do things his way, he’d still made sure she knew when he thought she was doing something stupid. Lucian was more careful of her feelings and needs.

  The demons would find her here. They always did when she didn’t keep walking, prowling the streets. She pulled a cigarette from the pack and placed the filter between her lips. Given what she knew now, maybe she should make herself scarce. Save Lucian from possibly losing his life, save herself from the possible heartache, save herself from becoming too comfortable in this life. It would only make returning to the streets that much harder.

  Morgan paced the width of the patio while she smoked, an edgy restlessness filled her. Something felt off, like a shadow had been cast across the day. She glanced at the cloudless sky as she took the last drag. Shaking her head, she ground out the butt.

  A low growl snapped her attention to the dog. Lucy slunk across the lawn until she stood next to Morgan on the patio.

  Morgan swept her gaze across the sunlit yard enclosed by the privacy fence. Nothing seemed out of order and yet she’d never seen the dog act like this. Lucy growled again, the deep rumble of it vibrated against Morgan’s leg.

  Moving slowly, her eyes constantly shifting, Morgan backed toward the house and slid the glass door open. She shoved the dog across the threshold behind her before stepping through and pulling the door shut again. The tiny lock sounded loud in the quiet as it clicked into place. Lucy growled again, lips peeled back from her sharp canines.

  Morgan laid a hand on the dog’s head and backed farther into the house, her eyes still on the sliding door. The dog matched her movements. A shadow slithered across the ground, followed by several more. Lucy’s hackles stood up as a vicious snarl ripped from her. Morgan swallowed hard against the sudden dryness in her throat.

  Always indiscernible, the shadows flooded the yard in darkness and wafted over the patio. Then, as soon as they’d come, they were gone.

  The silence in the house was absolute. The sun shone bright beyond the door once again. Morgan stood frozen in place until she felt the tension in the dog slowly ease. Nothing moved in the backyard. Finally, Lucy relaxed enough to sit down, her ears still at attention.

  With watery muscles, Morgan stumbled to a chair and plopped down. She folded her arms on the dining table and rested her forehead against them as she drew a shaky breath. She didn’t need to see the shadows clearly to know what they were. Why had they been set loose? By who?

  Raising her head, she looked out through the door. Maybe it wasn’t what she thought. There was only one way to know for sure. She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry aga
in. Did she dare step outside?

  Slowly, she pushed to her feet and crept to the door. Her hand trembled as she reached to flip the lock. Stupid. Locks wouldn’t stop a demon and if the shadows were what she thought they were, what she hoped they weren’t, nothing would slow them down.

  The door slid open. Lucy whined. Morgan glanced back at the dog. “If those were really…” She cleared her throat. “You can’t protect me from this, girl.”

  Morgan turned back to the yard. The breeze carried the faint hint of burned sulfur. A shiver ran down her back. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside. Nothing came for her. She looked down, searching for the signs and found them. Two massive paw prints were burned into the concrete at the edge of the patio.

  She stared at them without moving. What would be the point? If they were here for her, she was dead. Once set on a trail, they never stopped. Different from even an upper-level demon, they couldn’t be banished. Not without a tremendous amount of power. Far more than she possessed. Only an angel could stand against them and even he would be pressed to his limits by a pack.

  Nausea twisted her stomach. There wasn’t going to be any way out of this. Not without losing someone. Without Lucian, if the pack was truly after her, she would be dead within days. With him, she might have a chance. Of course, it could be they were sent after someone else and one only paused here to investigate because it smelled of an angel and his channel. They wouldn’t attack without a specific order, even if she stood in the midst of the entire pack.

  The footprints, only two, left her unnerved. It was almost as if they were done on purpose. With shaking hands, she pulled a cigarette from her pack and lit it. She crossed the patio and sank into one of the chairs, a fatalistic attitude settling over her. If the hounds were after her, it didn’t matter where she was. Might as well enjoy being outside.

  Lucy’s claws ticked lightly against the cement as she made her way to the paw prints. The dog sniffed them and the hackles on her back stood up again. She paced the yard, her nose to the ground, growling softly. Even the dog understood that what she smelled was unnatural.

  Morgan still sat in the chair when Lucian’s voice carried from inside the house, calling her name. Before she could answer, he came through the open patio door, eyes frantic. When he found her sitting there, nursing another cigarette, he didn’t seem to know what to do. His wings were out and bright white light flowed all around him.

  “Welcome back,” Morgan said as she breathed out a plume of smoke. “Find out anything interesting?”

  His hard gaze swept the yard before it settled on her again. The tension in his shoulders eased and his light dimmed. “What happened?”

  She took another drag. “Some passing interest by the pack.” Morgan waved her cigarette in the direction of the paw prints burned into the cement and blew the smoke out in a hazy cloud. “Not sure what it means. Maybe you do?”

  Lucian crossed the patio and knelt next to the prints. As he reached a hand toward them, Morgan took another drag, tipped her head back, and closed her eyes. The warm sunshine felt good on her face.

  “What are you doing?”

  She cracked open an eye and looked at him. His wings and light were gone now. “Well, I figure I’m gonna be dead soon so I’m enjoying the feel of the sun, the taste of my cigarette, and relaxing.”

  “A hell hound intentionally left its prints here and you’re relaxing?” He frowned.

  Morgan closed her eye and shrugged. “You should try it. You look tense.”

  His shadow flashed across her sunlit lids and she heard him flop into the chair next to her with an exasperated sigh. “You shouldn’t be relaxed. You should be afraid. The hounds won’t keep what they found here a secret. Your location will be known shortly.”

  “It would be anyway.” She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him as she tapped her temple. “I have demon radar you know. And it seems that whatever allows me to know where they are eventually works the opposite way. It’s why I always stayed on the move. Why I can’t hold a job or have a home. They always find me and it seems this Kalona has only upped their desire to do so.”

  He stood abruptly. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  Surprised, Morgan sat forward. “I figured you already knew, you being a dark angel and all.” Taking the last drag of the cigarette, she blew out the smoke and ground it out.

  “The Higher Powers told me very little about you.” He sat back down, mulling over what she said. “You can’t stay here.”

  And there it was. No more comfortable home. No more room decorated the way she liked. It shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did. Without realizing it, Morgan had started to feel like she had finally found a place to be even though only an hour ago being here had made her feel trapped. Greener grass and all. It was just as well. This would end badly anyway. Better to remember exactly what she was. It might have been nice to pretend that her life could be any other way besides what it was, but that wasn’t reality.

  She stood and stuffed her lighter in her pocket. “I’ll pack my things.”

  “WHAT?” LUCIAN LOOKED up, confusion on his face for a moment before it cleared. “Morgan, we don’t have to leave this instant. It will take a little bit to make arrangements and you will need a suitcase.”

  “Arrangements? Suitcase?” It was her turn to be confused. “What is there to arrange? And if you think I’m dragging a suitcase all over the streets you’re insane. I would get robbed my first night out. My backpack will do fine, thank you.”

  “We aren’t going to live on the streets.” He stood as well.

  “We?” Wait, did he mean he planned to go with her? Morgan shook her head and started for the door. “Lucian I can’t ask you to be constantly displaced.”

  His large hand on her arm stopped her. “Yes, we. You aren’t asking me to do anything. You’re my channel. As long as I’m with you, I’m not displaced.”

  Her skin tingled where his fingers wrapped around her forearm and warmth spread through her traitorous body and heart. Morgan looked up at his face, struck by the sincerity in his eyes and voice.

  “You would give up all of this to become a nomad with me?” she asked, gesturing toward the house.

  “This is why I exist. I have no care for this house. It doesn’t matter where we are as long as I can protect you.”

  For some reason, his answer left an odd emptiness in her heart. Of course he would follow her. He was bound by divine order to protect her with everything in his power up to and including giving his own life. It was his duty. He may be physically attracted to her, but it didn’t go any deeper than that. And that was fine. It was exactly how she wanted it…wasn’t it?

  Pulling away from him, she walked into the house, the interior dim and dark compared to the bright sunlight outside. “You better start making whatever arrangements you have planned.”

  The smell of hamburgers and french-fries wafted from a paper bag lying on its side on the table. Morgan motioned toward it as he followed her inside. “You didn’t tell me you went and got food.”

  “I smelled the sulfur the moment I stepped in the house. I tossed it there on my way through. I was more concerned with finding you dead or gone. I guess it slipped my mind after I found you.” He pulled his cell from his pocket and started tapping the screen with his thumb. “I’m going to grab my laptop.”

  Morgan opened the fridge and pulled out a couple of sodas as he walked toward the stairs. After settling at the table, she opened the bag and pulled out the contents. Two cheeseburgers and two large fries. She set his near his soda can then unwrapped her own. He was back quickly, open laptop in one hand, phone pressed to his ear with the other.

  While he made various hotel reservations, Morgan wolfed down her food.

  Lucian finally set his phone down and pulled his cheeseburger and fries closer. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  He shook his head and grabbed a fry. “You’re so
calm about all of this. Most channels would be terrified after having a hound that close.”

  Morgan snorted and emptied the rest of her fries onto her cheeseburger wrapper. “I was scared to death while they were here. After I saw the paw prints, the fear just went away.”

  “It just went away?” He watched her with a careful expression as if he thought she was insane, or maybe he was waiting for her to go ahead and fall apart.

  She shrugged. “It occurred to me that if the hounds want me dead, they will kill me and there’s practically nothing anyone can do about it. Why worry about it?”

  “Most would.” He popped two fries in his mouth.

  “Yeah, well didn’t I tell you I was freak?” She took a drink of her soda.

  Lucian scowled and swallowed. “You aren’t a freak. Just made of sturdier stuff than most.”

  “I’ve already been in a place where I really thought I was going to die. Once you’ve been there, it’s hard to get excited about it when it confronts you again,” Morgan said as she sorted her fries into like sized piles for no reason other than it gave her something to do besides look at him. That had just kind of slipped out; it wasn’t something she’d meant to say.

  “You should never have had to face demons alone for so many months,” he growled, his voice rough with some unidentifiable emotion. Anger, sorrow, a mix?

  Relief seeped through her that he had misunderstood. “It was what it was. I survived.”

  “You did. I still wish you would have sought out Damien and Isobel.”

  Morgan swiped a fry absently through the ketchup making little red designs on the wrapped with it.

  “It was better for everyone that I didn’t,” she mumbled.

  “Why?”

  She looked up, his eyes held hers and the deep ache inside that wanted her to tell him everything rose up. The other part of her, the more rational part, that understood just how thin a thread her emotions walked, pushed back. She dropped her eyes, abandoned her ketchup sodded fry and shoved away from the table.